FILE- Jon Jones of the United States talks with President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship Dana White after defeating Thiago Santos of Brazil during their UFC light heavyweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena on July 06, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/AFP
Jon “Bones” Jones tweeted Sunday that he’s giving up his UFC title in a pay dispute.
“To the light-heavyweight title — veni, vidi, vici,” tweeted Jones, using the Latin phrase of “I came, I saw, I conquered,” attributed to Julius Caesar. Asked if was giving up his title, he tweeted “Yes.”
When one of Jones’ 2.3 million Twitter followers suggested he was hurting himself more than the UFC, Jones replied: “I hurt myself every time I walk out there and take a punch to the head and not feel my pay is worth it anymore.”
The 32-year-old Jones had been eyeing a fight with heavyweight Francis Ngannou, but said the UFC did not want to pay him enough. UFC President Dana White said the fighter wanted “crazy” money, citing demands of $15 million, $20 million and $30 million.
“He can do whatever he wants to do. He can sit out, he can fight, he can whatever,” White said Saturday night after an event in Las Vegas. “Jon Jones can say whatever he wants publicly. It’s his God-given right here in America. He can say whatever he wants. And when he’s ready to come back and fight, he can.”